Nonvolatile semiconductor memory and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory includes a trench isolation provided in a semiconductor substrate and an interlayer insulator provided on the semiconductor substrate. The trench isolation defines an active area extending in a first direction at the semiconductor substrate. The interlayer insulator has a wiring trench extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction. A first conductive material layer is provided at the cross-point of the active area and the wiring trench so that it is insulated from the active area. A second conductive material layer is provided in the wiring trench so that it is insulated from the first conductive material layer. A metal layer is provided in the wiring trench so that it is electrically in contact the second conductive material layer.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-193518, filed Jun. 26,2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a nonvolatile semiconductor memory, andin particular, to a structure of a gate electrode.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a conventional NAND type nonvolatilesemiconductor memory, FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line1B-1B in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a sectional view taken along the line1C-1C in FIG. 1A. Note that FIGS. 1A to 1C respectively show points intime when a control gate (word line WL) of a memory cell transistor anda gate (select gate line SG) of a select transistor are formed.

Reference: S. Aritome et al, “A 0.67 μm² SELF-ALIGNED SHALLOW TRENCHISOLATION CELL (SA-STI CELL) FOR 3V-only 256 Mbit NAND EEPROMs”, IEDM,pp 61-64, 1994.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C, shallow trench isolations (STIs) are formedas element isolation regions in a P-type well 101, and element regionsare defined. Gate insulators 103 are formed on the element regions ofthe P-type well 101. Conductive polysilicon layers 105, an ONO film 113,and conductive polysilicon layers 115 are formed on the gate insulators103.

The conductive polysilicon layers 105 form floating gates (FG) in thememory cell transistor (refer to FIG. 1B), and contact the conductivepolysilicon layer 115 in a select transistor, and form portions ofselect gate lines SG (refer to FIG. 1C). Further, the conductivepolysilicon layer 115 forms a word line WL (refer to FIG. 1B).

In this way, in the prior art, the word line WL and the select gate lineSG are formed from the conductive polysilicon layers 115. Further,although not illustrated in particular, this prior art is formed from astructure in which a tungsten silicide layer is formed on the conductivepolysilicon layer 115, i.e., a so-called a polycide structure.

Moreover, an example of a structural feature of the nonvolatilesemiconductor memory shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C is that the conductivepolysilicon layers 105 are divided by the STIs in a select transistorportion. Therefore, the ONO film 113 is removed from the selecttransistor portion, and the divided conductive polysilicon layers 105are connected to each other by the conductive polysilicon layer 115, andthe select gate line SG is formed (refer to FIG. 1C).

However, in order to remove the ONO film 113, a space Dcell-SG from theselect gate line SG to the word line WL must be made broader than aspace Dcell from the word line WL to the word line WL. The reason forthis is that the alignment margin of the mask layer for removing the ONOfilm 113, and the alignment margin of the select gate SG and the portionat which the ONO film 113 is removed, respectively, must be anticipated.

Concretely, as shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, mask layers 141 forremoving the ONO film 113 are offset within a range of “+X1” or “−X1”along the X direction from the forming target position. Accordingly,alignment margins of “+X1” and “−X1” from the forming target positionare necessary.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, mask layers 119 for formingthe word line WL and the select gate line SG are, in the same way,offset within a range of “+X2” or “−X2” along the X direction from theforming target position. Accordingly, alignment margins of “+X2” and“−X2” from the forming target position are necessary.

As a result, in order for the portion at which the ONO film 113 isremoved to always be positioned under the mask layers 119, an alignmentmargin of “|X1|+|X2|” is necessary between the forming target positionof the mask layers 114 and the forming target position of the masklayers 119.

However, in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, because attention is focused on thealignment margin between the select gate line SG and the word line WL,an adjusting margin in the Y direction orthogonal to the X direction isignored.

Further, a NAND type nonvolatile semiconductor memory as shown in FIGS.4A to 4C has also been known.

Reference: Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 11-26731 (U.S. Pat No.6,342,715 B1)

FIG. 4A is a plan view, FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along the line4B-4B in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a sectional view taken along the line4C-4C in FIG. 4A.

One of the main features of the device shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C is thatthe floating gates 105 have a double structure of a lower layer portion105-1 and an upper layer portion 105-2. Further, the upper layer 105-2spreads on the STIs, and the capacity between the control gates 115(word lines WL) and the floating gates 105 is sufficiently larger thanthe capacity of the channels and the floating gates 105.

Moreover, in the select transistor portion, select gates SG are formedby the conductive polysilicon layers structuring the upper layerportions 105-2. In this way, the step of removing the ONO film 113 canbe omitted.

However, in the device shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, in the memory celltransistor portion, a so-called slit processing, for dividing theconductive polysilicon layer constituting the upper layer portions 105-2for the respective memory cells, is necessary. Therefore, an alignmentmargin for the slit processing is firstly necessary. Moreover, analignment margin, for exactly positioning the masks for select gateprocessing on the conductive polysilicon layers forming the upper layerportions 105-2 in which slits are not formed, is necessary.

Accordingly, even if the step of removing the ONO film 113 iseliminated, an alignment margin which is equivalent to that of thedevice shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C is necessary between the select gatelines SG and the word lines WL. As a result, in the device shown in FIG.4A to 4C as well, the space Dcell-SG from the select gate line SG to theword line WL must be broader than the space Dcell from the word line WLto the word line WL.

In this way, in the conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory,lowering of the resistance is attempted by structuring the word line WLand the select gate line SG from the conductive polysilicon layers 115,or from a polycide structure. However, as nonvolatile semiconductormemories have become smaller, it has become difficult to further lowerthe resistance.

Moreover, in the conventional nonvolatile semiconductor memory, in orderto remove the ONO film 113 from the select transistor portion or inorder to carry out slit processing, the space Dcell-SG from the selectgate line SG to the word line WL must be broader than the space Dcellfrom the word line WL to the word line WL. This is an obstacle tofurther miniaturization of a nonvolatile semiconductor memory.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device according to a first aspect ofthe present invention comprises:

-   -   a semiconductor substrate;    -   a trench isolation provided in the semiconductor substrate, the        trench isolation defining an active area at the semiconductor        substrate, the active area extending in a first direction;    -   an interlayer insulator provided on the semiconductor substrate,        the interlayer insulator having a wiring trench, the wiring        trench extending in a second direction intersecting the first        direction;    -   a first conductive material layer provided at a cross-point of        the active area and the wiring trench, the first conductive        material layer being insulated from the active area;    -   a second conductive material layer provided in the wiring        trench, the second conductive material layer being insulated        from the first conductive material layer; and    -   a metal layer provided in the wiring trench, the metal layer        electrically contacting the second conductive material layer.

A method for manufacturing a nonvolatile semiconductor memory deviceaccording to a second aspect of the present invention comprises:

-   -   forming a first stacked structure including at least a gate        insulator and a first conductive material layer on a        semiconductor substrate;    -   forming trenches corresponding to a pattern of element isolation        regions from the first stacked structure into the semiconductor        substrate;    -   forming an insulating material in the trenches;    -   forming a second stacked structure including at least an        inter-gate insulator and a second conductive material layer on        the exposed surfaces of the insulating material and the first        stacked structure;    -   forming a plurality of stacked gate structures including at        least the first conductive material layer, a second gate        insulator, and the second conductive material layer by        patterning the first stacked structure and the second stacked        structure;    -   forming an interlayer insulator between the stacked gate        structures;    -   forming trenches corresponding to the pattern of the stacked        gate structures at the interlayer insulator by partially        removing the stacked gate structure; and    -   forming a third conductive material layer in the trenches.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a conventional NAND type nonvolatilesemiconductor memory, FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line1B-1B in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1C is a sectional view taken along the line1C-1C in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a main step of manufacturing aconventional NAND type nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and FIG. 2B isa sectional view taken along the line 2B-2B in FIG. 2A.

FIG. 3A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing aconventional NAND type nonvolatile semiconductor memory, and FIG. 3B isa sectional view taken along the line 3B-3B in FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4A is a plan view of a conventional NAND type nonvolatilesemiconductor memory, FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along the line4B-4B in FIG. 4A, and FIG. 4C is a sectional view taken along the line4C-4C in FIG. 4A.

FIG. 5A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 5B is a sectional view taken along the line5B-5B in FIG. 5A, FIG. 5C is a sectional view taken along the line 5C-5Cin FIG. 5A, FIG. 5D is a sectional view taken along the line 5D-5D inFIG. 5A, and FIG. 5E is a sectional view taken along the line 5E-5E inFIG. 5A.

FIG. 6A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along the line6B-6B in FIG. 6A, FIG. 6C is a sectional view taken along the line 6C-6Cin FIG. 6A, FIG. 6D is a sectional view taken along the line 6D-6D inFIG. 6A, and FIG. 6E is a sectional view taken along the line 6E-6E inFIG. 6A.

FIG. 7A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 7B is a sectional view taken along the line7B-7B in FIG. 7A, FIG. 7C is a sectional view taken along the line 7C-7Cin FIG. 7A, FIG. 7D is a sectional view taken along the line 7D-7D inFIG. 7A, and FIG. 7E is a sectional view taken along the line 7E-7E inFIG. 7A.

FIG. 8A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 8B is a sectional view taken along the line8B-8B in FIG. 8A, FIG. 8C is a sectional view taken along the line 8C-8Cin FIG. 8A, FIG. 8D is a sectional view taken along the line 8D-8D inFIG. 8A, and FIG. 8E is a sectional view taken along the line 8E-8E inFIG. 8A.

FIG. 9A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 9B is a sectional view taken along the line9B-9B in FIG. 9A, FIG. 9C is a sectional view taken along the line 9C-9Cin FIG. 9A, FIG. 9D is a sectional view taken along the line 9D-69D inFIG. 9A, and FIG. 9E is a sectional view taken along the line 9E-9E inFIG. 9A.

FIG. 10A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 10B is a sectional view taken along the line10B-10B in FIG. 10A, FIG. 10C is a sectional view taken along the line10C-10C in FIG. 10A, FIG. 10D is a sectional view taken along the line10D-10D in FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10E is a sectional view taken along theline 10E-10E in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 11B is a sectional view taken along the line11B-11B in FIG. 11A, FIG. 11C is a sectional view taken along the line11C-11C in FIG. 11A, FIG. 11D is a sectional view taken along the line11D-11D in FIG. 11A, and FIG. 11E is a sectional view taken along theline 11E-11E in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 12B is a sectional view taken along the line12B-12B in FIG. 12A, FIG. 12C is a sectional view taken along the line12C-12C in FIG. 12A, FIG. 12D is a sectional view taken along the line12D-12D in FIG. 12A, and FIG. 12E is a sectional view taken along theline 12E-12E in FIG. 12A.

FIG. 13A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 13B is a sectional view taken along the line13B-13B in FIG. 13A, FIG. 13C is a sectional view taken along the line13C-13C in FIG. 13A, FIG. 13D is a sectional view taken along the line13D-13D in FIG. 13A, and FIG. 13E is a sectional view taken along theline 13E-13E in FIG. 13A.

FIG. 14A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 14B is a sectional view taken along the line14B-14B in FIG. 14A, FIG. 14C is a sectional view taken along the line14C-14C in FIG. 14A, FIG. 14D is a sectional view taken along the line14D-14D in FIG. 14A, and FIG. 14E is a sectional view taken along theline 14E-14E in FIG. 14A.

FIG. 15A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 15B is a sectional view taken along the line15B-15B in FIG. 15A, FIG. 15C is a sectional view taken along the line15C-15C in FIG. 15A, FIG. 15D is a sectional view taken along the line15D-15D in FIG. 15A, and FIG. 15E is a sectional view taken along theline 15E-15E in FIG. 15A.

FIG. 16A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 16B is a sectional view taken along the line16B-16B in FIG. 16A, FIG. 16C is a sectional view taken along the line16C-16C in FIG. 16A, FIG. 16D is a sectional view taken along the line16D-16D in FIG. 16A, and FIG. 16E is a sectional view taken along theline 16E-16E in FIG. 16A.

FIG. 17A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 17B is a sectional view taken along the line17B-17B in FIG. 17A, FIG. 17C is a sectional view taken along the line17C-17C in FIG. 17A, FIG. 17D is a sectional view taken along the line17D-17D in FIG. 17A, and FIG. 17E is a sectional view taken along theline 17E-17E in FIG. 17A.

FIG. 18A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 18B is a sectional view taken along the line18B-18B in FIG. 18A, FIG. 18C is a sectional view taken along the line18C-18C in FIG. 18A, FIG. 18D is a sectional view taken along the line18D-18D in FIG. 18A, and FIG. 18E is a sectional view taken along theline 18E-18E in FIG. 18A.

FIG. 19A is a plan view showing one of the main steps of manufacturing anonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 19B is a sectional view taken along the line19B-19B in FIG. 19A, FIG. 19C is a sectional view taken along the line19C-19C in FIG. 19A, FIG. 19D is a sectional view taken along the line19D-19D in FIG. 19A, and FIG. 19E is a sectional view taken along theline 19E-19E in FIG. 19A.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a nonvolatile semiconductor memoryaccording to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view showing, in an exploded state,the nonvolatile semiconductor memory shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a view for explaining effects in accordance with thenonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 23 is a view for explaining effects in accordance with thenonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be describedwith reference to the figures. In this description, the same referencenumerals are assigned to common parts throughout all of the figures.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E to FIGS. 19A, 19B, 19C, 19D, and 19E arerespectively plan views or sectional views showing a NAND typenonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment of thepresent invention in respective main manufacturing processes.

Firstly, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5E, gate insulators 3 formed from, forexample, SiO₂, are formed on a P-type silicon substrate 1. Note that,although not illustrated in particular, in the present example, forexample, a P-type well is formed in the P-type silicon substrate 1 in amemory cell array. Further, in the P-type silicon substrate 1 in aperipheral circuit, for example, the aforementioned P-type well andanother P-type well are formed. Next, on the gate insulators 3, forexample, conductive polysilicon layers 5 are formed. The polysiliconlayers 5 are layers which will become floating gates later. Hereinafter,the polysilicon layer 5 is called a floating gate (FG) polysilicon layer5. Next, mask layers 7 formed of, for example, SiN_(X), are formed onthe FG polysilicon layers 5. Next, the mask layers 7 are patterned inshapes of active areas. In the present example, active areas AA1 are setin the memory cell array, and an active area AA2 is set in theperipheral circuit. Next, by using the patterned mask layers 7 as masks,the FG polysilicon layers 5, the gate insulators 3, and the P-typesilicon substrate 1 are, for example, anisotropically-etched, andshallow trenches 9 are formed in the P-type silicon substrate 1.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 6A to 6E, insulators 11 are formed on thestructure shown in FIGS. 5A to 5E, by laminating, for example, SiO₂.Next, by using the mask layers 7 and the FG polysilicon layers 5 asmasks, the insulators 11 are etched back, and the FG polysilicon layers5 are projected from the surfaces of the insulators 11, and theinsulators 11 remain in the shallow trenches 9. In this way, shallowtrench isolations (STI) are formed. One example of the insulator 11 isSiO₂.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E, inter-gate insulators 13 are formed onthe structure shown in FIGS. 6A to 6E. One example of the inter-gateinsulator 13 is an ONO film. The ONO film is formed by sequentiallyforming SiO₂, SiN_(X), SiO₂ on the structure shown in FIGS. 6A to 6E.Next, on the inter-gate insulator 13, for example, a conductivepolysilicon layer 15 is formed. The polysilicon layer 15 will become alayer structuring one portion of a control gate later. Next, on thepolysilicon layer 15, a cap layer 17 formed of, for example, SiN_(X), isformed.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 8A to 8E, photoresist films 19, corresponding torespective patterns of a control gate of a memory cell transistor, aselect gate of a select transistor, and a gate of a peripheraltransistor, are formed on the structure shown in FIGS. 7A to 7E. Next,by using the photoresist films as masks, cap layers 17, the polysiliconlayers 15, the inter-gate insulators 13, and the FG polysilicon layers 5are sequentially, for example, anisotropically-etched. In this way, astacked gate structure including the FG polysilicon layers 5, theinter-gate layers 13, the polysilicon layers 15, and the cap layers 17is obtained.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 9A to 9E, before the photoresist films 19 areremoved or after the photoresist films 19 are removed, by using thestacked gate structure and STI as masks, N-type impurity ions, forexample, As ions, are injected into the P-type well 1.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 10A to 10E, a first interlayer insulator 21 isformed on the structure shown in FIGS. 9A to 9E by laminating, forexample, SiO₂.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 11A to 11E, the first interlayer insulator 21 isplanarized by using the cap layers 17 as stoppers by, for example,carrying out CMP.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 12A to 12E, by using the first interlayerinsulators 21 as masks, the cap layers 17 are removed to expose thepolysilicon layers 15. At this time, by removing the cap layers 17,wiring trenches 25 (25SG, 25WL, 25PG) can be obtained at the firstinterlayer insulators 21. The wiring trenches 25 are trenches forembedding gate wirings.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 13A to 13E, a photoresist film 27 is formed onthe structure shown in FIGS. 12A to 12E. The photoresist film 27 has apattern masking on the memory cell transistor. In this way, at thememory cell transistor, the polysilicon layers 15 are covered by thephotoresist film 27.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 14A to 14E, by using the photoresist film 27 andthe first interlayer insulators 21 as masks, the polysilicon layers 15and the inter-gate insulators 13 are removed. In this way, the FGpolysilicon layers 5 are exposed at the respective bottoms of the wiringtrenches 25SG and 25PG among the wiring trenches 25. A gate wiring ofthe select transistor is embedded into the wiring trench 25SG. A gatewiring of the peripheral transistor is embedded into the wiring trench25PG.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 15A to 15E, the photoresist film 27 is removed.The polysilicon layers 15 are thereby exposed at the bottom of thewiring trenches 25WL among the wiring trenches 25. Gate wirings of thememory cell transistor are embedded into the wiring trenches 25WL.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 16A to 16E, a metal layer 29 is formed bystacking a metal on the structure shown in FIGS. 15A to 15E. One exampleof the metal is tungsten. The metal layer 29 contacts the FG polysiliconlayers 5 at the wiring trench 25SG and the wiring trench 25PG. Further,the metal layer 29 contacts the polysilicon layers 15 at the wiringtrench 25WL.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 17A to 17E, the metal layer 29 is planarized byusing the first interlayer insulators 21 as stoppers by, for example,carrying out CMP. The metal layers 29 are thereby embedded into therespective wiring trenches 25SG, 25WL and 25PG.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 18A to 18E, a second interlayer insulator 31 isformed on the structure shown in FIGS. 17A to 17E by stacking, forexample, SiO₂.

Next, as shown in FIGS. 19A to 19E, contact holes, which pass throughthe second interlayer insulator 31 and the first interlayer insulators21 and the gate insulators 3 and which reach N-type source/drain regions23, are formed, and conductive materials 33 are embedded into the formedcontact holes. One example of the conductive material 33 is tungsten. Inthe present example, the conductive materials 33 contact the N-typesource/drain region 23 at the bit line side of the select transistor andthe two N-type source/drain regions 23 of the peripheral transistor.Next, third interlayer insulators 34 are formed on the second interlayerinsulators 31, and trenches for embedding bit lines and trenches forembedding wiring of the peripheral circuit are formed at the thirdinterlayer insulators 34. Conductive materials 35 are embedded into theformed trenches. One example of the conductive material 35 is copper. Inthis way, bit lines BL (BL1, BL2) and wiring of the peripheral circuitare formed, and the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to theembodiment of the present invention is completed.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing the nonvolatile semiconductormemory according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 21is an exploded perspective view showing, in an exploded state, thenonvolatile semiconductor memory shown in FIG. 20. Note that theconductive materials 33, the second interlayer insulators 31, and thebit line BL are omitted from FIG. 20 and FIG. 21.

As shown in FIG. 20 and FIG. 21, the shallow trenches 9 in which theSiO₂ 11 are embedded are provided in the P-type silicon substrate 1. TheSiO₂ 11 embedded in the shallow trenches 9 form shallow trenchisolations. The shallow trench isolation is one of the trenchisolations. The shallow trench isolations demarcate the active areas atthe P-type silicon substrate 1. In FIG. 20 and FIG. 21, an example isshown in which active areas AAl are defined in the memory cell array andan active area AA2 is defined in the peripheral circuit. The activeareas AA1 extend, for example, in the bit line direction. The activearea AA2 extends in the bit line direction in the present example. Thefirst interlayer insulators 21 are provided on the P-type siliconsubstrate 1, and the first interlayer insulators 21 have the wiringtrenches 25. In the present example, there are three types of wiringtrenches: the wiring trench 25SG for embedding of the select gate lineSG, the wiring trench 25WL for embedding of the word line WL, and thewiring trench 25PG for embedding of the wiring of the peripheralcircuit. The wiring trenches 25SG and 25WL extend in the word linedirection intersecting the bit line direction. The wiring trench 25PGextends in the word line direction intersecting the bit line directionin the present example. The polysilicon layers 5 are respectivelyprovided in a state of being isolated from the active areas AA1 and AA2,at cross-points between the active areas AA1 and the wiring trenches25SG and 25WL, and at a cross-point between the active area AA2 and thewiring trench 25PG. In the present example, the shallow trenchisolations (SiO₂ 11) are formed self-aligningly with respect to thepolysilicon layers 5. Therefore, for example, the side surfaces of thepolysilicon layers 5 contact the side surfaces of the shallow trenchisolations (SiO₂ 11). Further, in the present example, the position ofthe top surfaces of the polysilicon layers 5 is higher than the positionof the top surfaces of the shallow trench isolations (SiO₂ 11). Theconductive polysilicon layers 15 are provided in a state of beingisolated from the polysilicon layers 5 in the wiring trench 25WL. In thepresent example, the inter-gate insulators 13 are provided between thepolysilicon layers 5 and the polysilicon layers 15. Moreover, the metallayers 29 are provided in the wiring trenches 25SG, 25WL, and 25PG. Themetal layers 29 electrically contact the polysilicon layers 15 in thewiring trenches 25WL, and electrically contact the polysilicon layers 5in the wiring trenches 25SG and 25PG. The metal layers 29 are metalsembedded in the wiring trenches 25SG, 25WL and 25PG. Therefore, forexample, the position of the top surface of the metal layer 29 coincideswith the position of the top surface of the first interlayer insulator21. One example of the metal layers 29 is, as described above, tungsten.In the wiring trenches 25WL, the polysilicon layers 5, 15, and the metallayers 29 structure the stacked gates of the memory cell transistor. Inthe wiring trenches 25WL, the polysilicon layers 5 are floating gates,and the polysilicon layers 15 and the metal layers 29 are control gates.The control gates function as the word lines WL. Further, in the wiringtrench 25SG, the polysilicon layers 5 and the metal layers 29 form thegates of the select transistor. In the wiring trench 25SG, the metallayer 29 functions as the select gate line SG. Further, in the wiringtrench 25PG, the polysilicon layers 5 and the metal layer 29 form thegates of the peripheral transistor. In the wiring trench 25PG, the metallayer 29 functions as the wiring of the peripheral circuit.

In this nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodiment,portions of the control gate of the stacked gate type memory celltransistor, i.e., the word lines WL (WL1, WL2), are metal embedded inthe wiring trenches 25WL.

For example, in the present example, the word lines WL are structures inwhich the metal layers 29 are formed on the polysilicon layers 15, andare so-called polymetal structures. Therefore, as compared with thedevice, which was described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 1C, and whichhas the word line WL structured from the conductive polysilicon layer115 or the word line WL having a polycide structure, an increase in theresistance value of the word line WL can be suppressed, and therefore,the resistance value can be decreased.

Further, a portion of the gates of the select transistor, i.e., theselect gate line SG, is metal embedded in the wiring trench 25SG.Therefore, in the same way as the word line WL, an increase in theresistance value of the select gate line SG can be suppressed, andtherefore, the resistance value can be decreased.

Moreover, one portion of the gate PG of the peripheral transistor ismetal embedded in the wiring trench 25PG. Therefore, in the same way asthe word line WL and the select gate line SG, at the gate PG of theperipheral transistor as well, an increase in the resistance value canbe suppressed, and therefore, the resistance value can be decreased.

In this way, in accordance with the NAND type nonvolatile semiconductormemory which can suppress an increase in the resistance value of theword line WL, the select gate line SG, and the gate PG of the peripheraltransistor, effects such as increasing the speed of operation Iand,reducing the electric power consumption can be obtained.

Further, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to theembodiment, the step of removing the inter-gate insulator 13 from theselect transistor portion is carried out by using the first interlayerinsulators 21 as masks. Therefore, there is no need to form the masklayer 141 as described with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B, for example.

Moreover, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to theembodiment, at the time of removing the inter-gate insulator 13, thestacked gate structures including the FG polysilicon layers 5, theinter-gate insulator 13, the polysilicon layers 15, and the cap layer 17are already formed. Therefore, for example, there is no need to giveconsideration such that the portion from which the ONO film 113 isremoved is exactly positioned under the mask layer 119 as described withreference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. Of course, there is no need for slitprocessing.

Accordingly, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to theembodiment, there is no need for a space Dcell-SG from the select gateline SG to the word line WL to be made broader than a space Dcell fromthe word line WL to the word line WL. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 20,for example, the space Dcell-SG and the space Dcell can be set to beequal, and integration of the nonvolatile semiconductor memory in, forexample, the direction perpendicular to the word line WL, for example,the direction along the bit line BL, can be improved.

Further, for example, in the device described with reference to FIGS. 4Ato 4C, the select gate SG is structured from a conductive polysilicon.Therefore, the resistance value of the select gate SG becomes high.Therefore, in order to use it in practice, as shown in FIG. 21, inaddition to the select gate SG, a low-resistance select gate SG2 isformed. Further, there is the need to shunt the low-resistance selectgate SG2 to the select gate SG structured from conductive polysilicon,for example, each 512 bits. Therefore, improvement of integration in,for example, the direction along the word line WL is prevented.

On the other hand, in the nonvolatile semiconductor memory according tothe embodiment, because the select gate SG is structured to include alow-resistance metal, there is no need to form the low-resistance selectgate SG2 as shown in FIG. 21. Therefore, integration in, for example,the direction along the word line WL can be improved.

Although a nonvolatile semiconductor memory according to the embodimentof the present invention was described above, the present invention isnot limited to this embodiment, and at the time of implementing of thepresent invention, various changes are possible within a range whichdoes not deviate from the gist of the present invention. Moreover, theembodiment described above is not the only one embodiment of the presentinvention.

Moreover, various stages of the invention are included in theabove-described one embodiment, and various stages of the invention canbe extracted by appropriate combinations of a plurality of structuralconditions disclosed in the embodiment.

As described above, in accordance with the nonvolatile semiconductormemory and the manufacturing method according to the embodiment of thepresent invention, the difficulties of lowering the resistance value ofthe wiring accompanying the miniaturization of a nonvolatilesemiconductor memory can be mitigated.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1-36. (canceled)
 37. A method for manufacturing a nonvolatilesemiconductor memory device comprising: forming a first stackedstructure including at least a gate insulator and a first conductivematerial layer on a semiconductor substrate; forming trenchescorresponding to a pattern of element isolation regions from the firststacked structure into the semiconductor substrate; forming aninsulating material in the trenches; forming a second stacked structureincluding at least an inter-gate insulator and a second conductivematerial layer on the exposed surfaces of the insulating material andthe first stacked structure; forming a plurality of stacked gatestructures including at least the first conductive material layer, asecond gate insulator, and the second conductive material layer bypatterning the first stacked structure and the second stacked structure;forming an interlayer insulator between the stacked gate structures;forming trenches corresponding to the pattern of the stacked gatestructures at the interlayer insulator by partially removing the stackedgate structure; and forming a third conductive material layer in thetrenches.
 38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the forming oftrenches corresponding to a pattern of the stacked gate structurescomprises: a process of, in the stacked gate structure corresponding tothe memory cell transistor among the stacked gate structures, removingthe stacked gate structure such that the second conductive materiallayer is exposed at the bottom of the trench.
 39. The method accordingto claim 37, wherein the forming of trenches corresponding to a patternof the stacked gate structures comprises: a process of, in the stackedgate structure corresponding to the select transistor among the stackedgate structures, removing the stacked gate structure such that the firstconductive material layer is exposed at the bottom of the trench. 40.The method according to claim 37, wherein the forming of trenchescorresponding to a pattern of the stacked gate structures comprises: aprocess of, in the stacked gate structure corresponding to theperipheral transistor among the stacked gate structures, removing thestacked gate structure such that the first conductive material layer isexposed at the bottom of the trench.